Pac-12 | Competition wraps up in Italy and China

Nothing official from the UW Athletic Department yet, but
sources tell us the competition phase of Washington’s
Slovenia and Italy volleyball tour has come to an end. A hoped-for match in
Rome never materialized, so the team is free to do a little sightseeing.

Washington scrimmages in Perugia-photo grab of video by Washington Athletics

The reports we’ve seen show the Huskies ended up 4-2 on the
trip, with losses at the hands of members of Italy’s National Team in Milan.
All six contests were essentially scrimmages, played in training gyms in front
of friends and family accompanying Washington on the trip. No official stats
were reported.

Members of the touring Pac-12 volleyball team on a section of China's Great Wall (Kelcey Dunaway, center)-photo by Pac-12

The Pac-12 matches were played in arenas, against some of
China’s top professional teams, and a few were
televised. Volleyball is, as you might know, a very big deal in China.

USC’s Mick Haley
is head coach for the Pac-12 squad. Before leaving for China, Haley talked
about the trip during an interview for the Court & Spark documentary.

“Our trip to China coming up is really all about television.
It’s about trying to partner with the right people in China, for the Pac-12 Network. And volleyball is going
to be possibly that sport—men’s basketball would be the other sport—but right
now, it looks like volleyball may be the one that’s going to be closest to an
understanding there. And if they get into China, the (potential television
ratings) numbers go right through the roof.”